CHICAGO, Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Oral Health America, a national non-profit organization working to educate Americans about the importance of dental care to overall health and well-being, today announced the 10(th) anniversary of their Smiles Across America® (SAA) program. Thanks to generous donations from founding partner Trident®, SAA has delivered oral care to underserved children across the country. SAA is kicking off a year-long celebration of their anniversary during National Children's Dental Health Month with a February 6 event in Chicago, home of the first SAA initiative.

In 2004, Trident® provided funding to launch SAA and provide oral disease prevention services for children who are uninsured and underserved due to issues of poverty - lack of resources, transportation barriers, low literacy, and language diversity. Their debut initiative supported the Chicago Department of Health's dental program, which provides dental care to over 100,000 students in Chicago Public Schools. Trident® Sugar Free Gum continues to be a major supporter of SAA as part of an ongoing commitment to help fight cavities in America's youth.

"We are honored to celebrate a decade of bringing needed oral health care and education to children in school-based and school-linked settings through SAA," said OHA President and CEO Beth Truett. "Working with phenomenal partners in cities across the U.S., OHA is changing the game for at-risk kids who suffer from the number one disease of childhood - tooth decay. Dedicated donors have supported us in impacting the lives of over 400,000 children annually - helping them to learn without pain, improve their self-esteem, and spread their healthy smiles across America."

Throughout the year, OHA will co-host events across the country and highlight the founding SAA partners--Chicago Department of Public Health, Children's Dental Services of Minneapolis, New York University College of Dentistry-Pediatric Dentistry, Santa Barbara-Ventura Counties Dental Care Foundation, and West Virginia University. The anniversary festivities will culminate with a celebration held in Chicago, which is home to both the first SAA partner and OHA's national headquarters.

"We know first-hand about the importance of oral health and the impact a healthy smile has on people of all ages," said Alex Picciano, Senior Associate Brand Manager, Trident. "All Americans should have access to preventative dental care. We are thrilled to celebrate 10 years of partnership with SAA and look forward to continuing to help them on their mission of providing essential dental care to at-risk children."

To find out how you can participate in this landmark anniversary or to learn more about SAA, please visit www.oralhealthamerica.org.

About Oral Health America
OHA's mission is to change lives by connecting communities with resources to increase access to oral health care, education and advocacy for all Americans, especially those most vulnerable. Through Smiles Across America®, which serves 400,000 children annually, the Wisdom Tooth Project(TM), which reaches tens of thousands of older adults, and the Campaign for Oral Health Equity, which prioritizes oral health alongside other chronic diseases, OHA provides needed oral health care and education, helping Americans of all ages to have a healthy mouth and understand the importance of oral health for overall health. For more information about Oral Health America, please visit www.oralhealthamerica.org.

About TRIDENT Gum
TRIDENT gum, the first national sugar free gum, has long been a pioneer in providing oral health benefits to consumers. Today TRIDENT is available in a wide range of forms & flavors, including TRIDENT Layers, TRIDENT White, and TRIDENT Splash. TRIDENT is one of Mondelez International's "Billion Dollar" brands, and is loved by a global community of nine million Facebook fans. Visit www.facebook.com/tridentgum.

Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is a global snacking powerhouse, with 2012 revenue of $35 billion. Creating delicious moments of joy in 165 countries, Mondelez International is a world leader in chocolate, biscuits, gum, candy, coffee and powdered beverages, with billion-dollar brands such as Cadbury, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate, Jacobs coffee, LU, Nabisco and Oreo biscuits, Tang powdered beverages and TRIDENT gum. Mondelez International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, NASDAQ 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com and www.facebook.com/mondelezinternational.

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